Hobby horse base



March 1, 1966 J, KOLLER T 3,237,938

HOBBY' HORSE BASE Filed Aug. 31, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

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BY Madam w and 74 m ATTORNEYS March 1966 E. J. KOLLER ETAL 3,237,938

HOBBY HORSE BASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 31, 1962 RNE YS United States Patent Ofiice Patented Mar. 1, 1966 3,237,938 HURRY HOREBE BASE Edward .1. Keller, Thomas .1. Pierce, and Andrew W.

Potts, In, Memphis, Tenn, assignors to Wonder Prodacts Company, Colliervilie, Tenn, a corporation of Tennessee Filed Aug. 31, 1962, Sier. No. 220,845 4 Claims. (Cl. 27252) The present invention relates to improvements in resiliently supported hobby horses and more particularly to an improved horse and rigid supporting base.

The present invention is a continuation-in-part of our copending application entitled Hobby Horse, Serial No. 154,775, filed November 24, 1961. In providing a base for a resiliently supported horse of the type shown in the above application and for other types of resilient toy riding horses it is desirable that a reliable rigid support base be provided which will not yield with the bouncing movements of the child in order to maintain stability of action and in order that the child may obtain a satisfactory action from the springs which support the body of the horse. It is also critically essential that the base does not give way during operation or break so as to injure the child, and the base should not yield to an extent so that the child can be thrown from the bouncing horse. In a well supported horse which obtains good motion for a riding child simulating a rolling, galloping type of motion of a live horse, the childs actions are relatively violent and the load which must be borne by the base is a shock load. If any portion of the metal of the support base fails the child can be violently thrown from the horse, and if any portion of the metal of the base reaches its yield point the horse will thereafter be supported in a non-stable position and will be cooked or tilted so that the usefulness of the toy is thereafter limited.

It is accordingly an object of the present invenion to provide an improved support base for a resiliently suspending riding toy wherein the toy body has a rolling, galloping motion with the center of gravity of the body shifting during riding movement and wherein the base is subjected to severe shock loads during operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved resiliently suspended riding horse with a rigid base which affords support in both a lateral and a fore and aft direction and wherein the lateral support serves a dual purpose in also providing a step or a mount for the horse.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved riding toy which is resiliently supported on an upright center post, wherein improved lateral and fore and aft supports for the post are provided with rigid non-yieldable and reliable connections between the sup ports and the post.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved resilient riding toy supported on a hollow upright post provided with fore and aft tubular support members and with an improved structural relationship between the post and support members.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a resiliently supported hobby horse mounted at the upper end of an upright hollow post, and provided with a U-shaped lateral support tube with ends turned downwardly for engaging a floor surface and with the base of the support member secured to a bracket clamped to the front surface of the support post and with the base of the U-shaped member raised substantially off the floor so that a child may use the base as a step for mounting the horse. Fore and aft sup port members are provided with their outer ends engaging the floor surface and their inner ends turned vertically upright and projecting up into the hollow lower end of the post with their inner touching surfaces flattened for surface-to-surface engagement and being located accurately fore and aft of each other to directly transmit fore and aft forces. Bolts extend through the bracket, post and fore and aft support members for rigidly connecing each of the support elements with a single connecting means.

Other features, objects and advantages will become more apparent with the teaching of the principles of the invention in connection with the disclosure of the preferred embodiments thereof in the specification, claims and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view with parts broken away of a resiliently supported hobby horse embodying the principles of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially along line IIII of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective detailed view of the lateral support member;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken substantially along line IV-IV of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical fragmentary sectional view, similar to FIGURE 4, showing a modified arrangement; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view similar to FIGURE 2, but with parts omitted, illustrating a modified form of arrangement.

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows a horse body 10 adapted for riding by a child. The body is supported in an upright position by a base 11 which rests on a floor surface. The base incorporates a post 12 and the horse body is resiliently supported at the upper end thereof.

For resiliently supporting the horse body so that it has resilient up and down and fore and aft movement, rear and front springs 14 and 15 are connected at the upper end of the post 12 and suitably connected at their outer ends to the horse body. This structure may be such as that shown in our abovementioned copending application Serial No. 154,775.

Within the upper end of the post is a sliding telescoping member in the form of a rectangular tube 13 having pivotal links 16 mounted at its upper end and connected to the frame for the body of the horse. At the lower end of the links are brackets slidingly connected to spring covered rods 17 and these may be arranged to give movement to the legs of the horse if the legs are pivotally mounted on the body, and this detail need not be shown in the present disclosure.

The post 12 must remain in an accurate vertical position in order to provide stable, resilient support for the horse body 10. To provide lateral support for the post 12, a lateral support member 18 is provided in the form of a U-shaped tube.

The ends 19 and 20 of the tube extend downwardly and may be provided with resilient tips for engaging the fioor, and the base 21 extends laterally raised a substantial distance off the floor so that it provides a step for the child for mounting the horse.

For securing the lateral support member 18 to the post 12 the base is connected to a bracket 22 which has lateral upturned flanges provided with notches 23 for receiving the base, and the base is welded to the material of the bracket 22.

The bracket is provided with vertically spaced holes 24 for receiving bolts to secure the bracket to the front vertical face of the post as will be described later in connection with FIGURES 2 and 4.

Longitudinal support or support in a fore and aft direction is provided by front and rear support members 25 and 26.

The front and rear or fore and aft support members 25 and 26 have a horizontal portion and are turned vertically downwardly at their outer ends 27 and 28 and are provided with capped tips for engaging a floor surface.

At the inner ends the support members 25 and 26 are turned vertically upwardly and project upwardly into the hollow lower end of the support post 12.

The front and rear support members 25 and 26, and the lateral support member 18 may be formed of hollow cylindrical tubular material which is rigid and lightweight and can be suitably attractively finished such as by being painted or chrome plated. The size of the tubular material is preferably chosen so that the inner ends 29 and 30 of the fore and aft support members fill the opening in a fore and aft direction within the post.

As will be recognized, most of the motion of the horse body will be in a fore and aft direction to simulate a galloping or a running motion of the horse and substantial shock loads are applied to the post 12. The post is supported in a cantilever fashion at its lower end and considerable stress is placed on the connection between the support members and the post.

Thus, the upwardly extending inner ends 29 and 30 of the fore and aft support members are flattened on their inner facing surfaces 31 and 32 with the flattened surfaces being in surface-to-surface engagement for the direct transmission of forces. These forces are not only from the fore and aft movement of the horse, but also from the weight of the horse and the rider, and also the up and down movement which creates a shock load. In filling the post, the front and rear surfaces of the ends 29 and 30 engage the inner surface of the post for the direct transmission of forces thereto. The fore and aft support members are accurately located so that they are directly in front and in back of each other for carrying the load imposed thereon.

The upright inner ends 29 and 30 are secured within the post such as by longitudinally extending vertically spaced bolts 33 and 34. The bolts extend through the holes 24 in the bracket 22, and through holes in the post 12, and also through holes drilled through the ends 29 and 30 of the support members. The bolts rigidly secure the elements together, and provide means for rapidly and inexpensively assembling the unit.

In summary, the lateral support member 18 is U-shaped with its base 21 raised a substantial distance above the floor and above the fore and aft support members 25 and 26 so as to give lateral support and also provide a step for a child mounting the horse body 10. The fore and aft support members 25 and 26 have upwardly bent inner ends which are directly fore and aft of each other and have their inner surfaces 31 and 32 flattened and fill the hollow lower end of the post 12.

Thus it will be seen that we have provided an improved resiliently supported hobby horse with a base that meets the objectives, advantages and features above set forth. The base is rigid and well able to take shock load in all directions. Should any sagging occur it will occur while retaining the post 12 in an upright position and twist of the post will not occur nor will the post tilt or cant out of its upright position to adversely affect the operation of the horse. The base is well adapted for resisting shock load. Also, the fore and aft support members 25 and 26 are arranged to project a distance ahead of and behind the horse for reliable support, and yet support members individually are relatively short and notlonger than the horse so that they can be easily packed for shipping.

The drawings and specification present a detailed disclosure of the preferred embodiments of the invention, and it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific forms disclosed, but covers all modifications, changes and alternative constructions and methods falling within the scope of the principles taught by the invention.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a modified form of structure for attachment of the U-shaped lateral support tube. A support tube 18' is provided having substantially the same 4 construction as the tube 18 of FIGURE 3, and a bracket 22 has an upwardly and outwardly facing arcuate notch [33. The tube 18' is held in the notch 33 by a suitable means such as by weld beads along the edges of the arcuate notch.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a modified arrangement for the upturned ends of the fore and aft suport members. Ends 29' and 30' are shown with inner facing fllattened surfaces 31 and 32'. The surfaces are flattened with the ends of the surfaces pushed outwardly to increase the surface contact area, and the metal surrounding the openings through the tubes is pressed inwardly to prevent in terference where the holes are formed and to insure planar contact. The remaining portions of the tubes are constructed substantially the same as the structure shown in FIGURES l and 4.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a hobby horse adapted for riding by a child, a support comprising,

an upright rectangular hollow support post,

a hobby horse body,

fore and aft springs connected between the body and the upper end of the post,

a rectangular telescoping member slidably mounted in the upper end of the post,

pivotal links connected between the upper end of the telescoping member and the body for permitting fore and aft movement of the body and being pivotal on horizontal laterally extending axes,

front and rear support legs for engaging a floor surface having inner ends turned upwardly and projecting into the lower end of the post and secured therein,

and laterally extending suport means for engaging the floor surface secured to said post at a location above the lower end thereof and above said front and rear support legs for added stability in a lateral direction.

2. A hobby horse comprising,

a horse body adapted for riding by a child,

an upright support post having a hollow lower end,

resilient member-s secured between the upper end of the post and the body for resiliently supporting the body,

a lateral support member having end portions extending downwardly for engaging a floor surface and having a horizontal portion parallel to the floor surface haised off the floor to provide a step for mounting the body and said horizontal portion being secured to said post,

and front and rear suport members below the lateral support member for engaging the floor surface and providing fore and aft support,

the inner ends of the front and rear support members turned upwardly and extending up into the hollow lower end of the support post and secured thereto.

3. A hobby horse comprising,

a horse body adapted for riding by a child,

an upright support post having a hollow lower end,

resilient members secured between the upper end of the post and the body for resiliently supporting the body,

a lateral support member having end portions extending downwardly for engaging a floor surface and having a horizontal portion parallel to the floor surface raised off the floor to provide a step for mounting the body and said horizontal portion being secured to said post,

said horizontal portion extending substantially the same distance on both sides of the upright support post to provide a step on each side of the post,

and front and rear support members below the lateral support member for engaging the floor surface and providing fore and aft support,

3,237,938 5 the inner ends of the front and rear support members turned upwardly and extending up into the hollow lower end of the support post and secured thereto. 4. A hobby horse comprising, 5 a horse body adapted for riding by a child, an upright support post having a hollow lower end, resilient members secured between the upper end of the post and the body for resiliently supporting the body, a lateral support member having end portions extending downwardly for engaging a floor surface and having a horizontal portion parallel to the floor surface raised off the floor to provide a step for mountport member for engaging the floor surface and providing fore and aft support,

the inner ends of the front and rear support members turned upwardly and extending up into the hollow lower end of the support post and secured thereto,

and bolt members extending through said post and bracket member and also extending through the inner ends of the support rods for providing a rigid interconnected support for said post.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ing the body and said horizontal portion being se- 15 3358 55; u cured to said post by a bracket member mounted 3080165 3/1963 Wyman 272 52 on the surface of said post, front and rear support members below the lateral sup- RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A HOBBY HORSE ADAPTED FOR RIDING BY A CHILD, A SUPPORT COMPRISING, AN UPRIGHT RECTANGULAR HOLLOW SUPPORT POST, A HOBBY HORSE BODY, FORE AND AFT SPRINGS CONNECTED BETWEEN THE BODY AND THE UPPER END OF THE POST, A RECTANGULAR TELESCOPING MEMBER SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN THE UPPER END OF THE POST, PIVOTAL LINKS CONNECTED BETWEEN THE UPPER END OF THE TELESCOPING MEMBER AND THE BODY FOR PERMITTING FORE AND AFT MOVEMENT OF THE BODY AND BEING PIVOTAL ON HORIZONTAL LATERALLY EXTENDING AXES, FRONT AND REAR SUPPORT LEGS FOR ENGAGING A FLOOR SURFACE HAVING INNER ENDS TURNED UPWARDLY AND PROJECTING INTO THE LOWER END OF THE POST AND SECURED THEREIN, AND LATERALLY EXTENDING SUPPORT MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE FLOOR SURFACE SECURED TO SAID POST AT A LOCATION ABOVE THE LOWER END THEREOF AND ABOVE SAID FRONT AND REAR SUPPORT LEGS FOR ADDED STABILITY IN A LATERAL DIRECTION. 